Sturm Graz rack up thumping win ahead of Hearts as star makes case to face Jambos with five-minute hat-trick
Hearts’ European opponents have started to rack up the goals in pre-season.
Sturm Graz racked up a thumping 5-1 win in their penultimate pre-season friendly ahead of facing Hearts next week.
The Austrian side will host Wouter Vrancken’s Jambos in the first leg of a Champions League second round qualifier on July 21 before a return meeting at Tynecastle one week later. They have been going through the gears ahead of the European matches with players handed ‘significant’ playing time in a 5-1 rout of J League club Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
105 minutes were played as part of the fitness-building session. Jon Gorenc Stankovic and new signing Jurgen Heil netted inside the opening 20 minutes before attacker Axel Kayombo put Hearts on notice over how clinical he can be. The 20-year-old scored in the 100th, 101st and 105th minute to seal an eye-catching five-minute hat-trick that turned victory into a rout. Head coach Fabio Ingolitsch says the game was tougher than what the outcome suggests with Kayombo playing a major role.
How did Sturm Graz get on in their most recent friendly match
Ingolitsch said: “We faced a technically strong opponent. The game itself was closer than the final score suggests. Overall, it was a hard-fought match over 105 minutes. The opponent challenged us in every aspect, both with and without the ball.
“It was a very good test, allowing us to give several players significant playing time. We are very happy that we were able to win the game in the end. I'm also particularly pleased that Axel Kayombo scored three goals in the closing stages."
Reporting from the club read ahead of a final warm-up match against Polish outfit Pogon Szczecin: “Sturm Graz secured a convincing 5-1 victory in their international friendly against Sanfrecce Hiroshima after 105 minutes. In their penultimate friendly before their European campaign opener against Heart of Midlothian, the Black and Whites faced the traditional Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Burgenland. The Black and Whites emerged victorious from the international clash against the Japanese side after 105 minutes.”
Vrancken meanwhile will see his side on two occasions this week, against Championship side Arbroath on Tuesday for Colin Hamilton’s testimonial, and then La Liga club Rayo Vallecano this Friday at Tynecastle. Warm up matches so far have included defeating Premiership rivals St Mirren on a warm weather training camp in Spain before victory over Kilmarnock Friday. Another Hearts side lost at Livingston later that night as preparations continue for a return to Europe.